SouthernWorldwide.com – During the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Friday, May 15, 2026, a heated exchange occurred between golfers Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley and an official regarding the pace of play.
The issue of slow play became a significant focus after the first round. Thomas and Bradley, along with Cameron Young, were put on the clock on the fourth hole.
An official approached the group in a cart, leading to a visibly animated discussion. Both Thomas and Bradley appeared to gesture towards the group ahead of them, suggesting they were not the cause of any delays.
Thomas, a prominent Ryder Cup player, later explained that while they were aware of the pace of play being an issue, he felt their group was not holding up the play behind them.
“We just didn’t really agree with it,” Thomas stated after his round. He cited challenging course conditions, including strong winds and difficult pin placements, as factors contributing to slower play overall.
Thomas elaborated that they had been caught up by the group in front of them, and that the pace of play issue was exacerbated on the very next hole.
Bradley, who captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team last year, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the official’s assessment, though his interaction appeared to be more concise than Thomas’s lengthy conversation.
The PGA Championship features a large field of 156 golfers, with some groups starting their rounds on the back nine. The scoring conditions were tough, with only 25 players under par at the time of the incident.
The Aronimink Golf Club presents unique challenges that can contribute to slower play. The course has shared tee boxes on holes 1 and 10, intersecting fairways on holes 9 and 17, and a particularly long par-3 eighth hole.
Specifically, three of the par-3 holes on the course exceed 200 yards. Additionally, the fourth hole is a demanding 457-yard par 4.
As golf instructor Chris Gotterup commented on Friday, “You’re not going to get any four-and-a-half hour rounds out here,” highlighting the demanding nature of the course and the tournament.
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The incident underscores the ongoing challenges of managing pace of play in professional golf, particularly in major championships where course conditions and field size can create additional complexities.
